SAN DIEGO – San Diego Loyal SC announced on Monday it had acquired Haitian forward Ronaldo Damus on loan from Swedish club GIF Sundsvall for the upcoming 2023 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

“Ronaldo is a player we know very well and have tracked for a long time,” said SD Loyal Head Coach Nate Miller. “He is a young striker who has won a USL Championship and has a lot of playing experience. Ronaldo is an elite vertical threat, has a lot of pace and power and is a very hard worker off the ball. He brings us the profile and quality we need to hurt teams consistently.”

Damus joins SD Loyal as it heads into its fourth season in The USL Championship. The 23-year-old played in 25 matches for GIF Sundsvall in 2022, scoring five goals and recording two assists. Damus was acquired by the Swedish side last March after helping lead Orange County SC to the USL Championship title in 2021.

The speedy and versatile forward recorded 18 goals across all competitions for Orange County that season, including a pair of goals in the side’s 3-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 2021 USL Championship Final. He had previously played for North Texas in USL League One over the 2019 and 202 season, helping the side claim the inaugural League One title while taking All-League First Team honors.

Damus also has international experience. The striker has been part of Haiti’s national team. He helped his country qualify for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and was part of the squad that competed in the regional international competition.